Eight Treasure Puddings Recipes

EIGHT-TREASURE RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Rinse the rice under running water, drain it and put it in a saucepan with one cup of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, lower heat and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and oil and mix well.
• Grease a three- to four-cup mold or heat-proof bowl with a little oil or shortening. Cut the fruit in thin slices and press them onto the bottom and sides of the bowl in a decorative pattern.
• Spoon half the rice over the fruit and press down to make an even layer. Spread on a layer of bean paste. Spread the remaining rice over the paste and pack down. (The rice can be refrigerated 3 or 4 days if needed).
• When ready to cook, place the mold, covered with a lid or foil, in the top of a steamer and steam the mixture for one hour.
• Make a sauce by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in one tablespoon of water and add to the sugar water. Stir over low heat until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon rind.
• Unmold the rice pudding onto a platter and pour the sauce over the top.

EIGHT-TREASURE PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Rinse rice in a large sieve under cold running water until water runs clear, then drain. Combine rice, oil, and 2 cups cold water in cake pan.
• Put 1/2 inch of water in a 12-inch-wide pot or deep skillet. Set a metal rack (or a few metal cookie cutters) in bottom of pot, then set cake pan (with rice) on rack and bring water to a boil. Cover pot and steam over high heat, checking water level occasionally and adding more water if necessary, until rice is cooked, about 40 minutes. Carefully remove pan and cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, bring remaining 1 1/2 cups cold water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan with rock sugar, jujubes, prunes, apricots, cherries, and orange peel, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until fruit is very soft and liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 45 minutes. Stir in walnuts and simmer 1 minute. Immediately drain in a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl, reserving syrup and fruit separately. Remove walnuts from fruit and set aside.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. 3Lightly oil custard cups and a 1/3-cup measure. Put 1 walnut half in bottom of each cup, then spoon 2 tablespoons mixed fruit (per cup) on top, spreading evenly around bottom of each cup. Drizzle 1 teaspoon reserved fruit syrup over fruit in each cup, then press 1/3 cup rice (per cup) on top of fruit with dampened fingertips. Using your fingertips or back of a small spoon, make a small indentation in rice and fill with 1 teaspoon red beans (per cup), leaving at least a 1/2-inch border of rice. Drizzle 1 teaspoon fruit syrup over each rice pudding, then cover with 2 tablespoons rice (dip measuring spoon in water before measuring rice to prevent sticking). Using a small piece of plastic wrap, press rice in cups to flatten surface. Discard wrap.
• Arrange cups in roasting pan. Oil a sheet of heavy-duty foil, then cover pan with foil (oiled side down) and seal tightly. Bake in a water bath 1 hour, then let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge of each cup to loosen rice, then invert each pudding onto a dish. Drizzle with remaining fruit syrup.